Friday, December 4, 2009

Gibo: Grateful, but no dictation

LAKAS-Kampi-CMD standard bearer Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro Jr. told an election forum among presidential candidates Wednesday night that he "would not be dictated upon" and "would do the right thing" as president.

"It is the job of the president to lead. The president has two jobs – to head the executive department with integrity and transparency, and to execute the laws without fear or favor," Teodoro said at the "Harapan" forum telecast live over ANC television from the University of Santo Tomas.

Teodoro and six other presidential candidates took turns answering questions on current issues ranging from the Ampatuan massacre and the first 100 days of the presidency to President Arroyo’s decision to seek a seat in Congress and perhaps bid to capture the speakership of the House of Representatives.

Asked what the effects would be of Arroyo gunning for a congressional seat under Lakas-Kampi CMD, Teodoro said as party chairman and as president, he would expect no less than the support and cooperation of all lawmakers under his party including Arroyo.

"A congressman of the party would follow the goals and platform that were set by the party which I lead," he said.

"The legislature’s job is to make laws responsive to the needs of the people," he said.

Teodoro said his plan to bring progress to the country is not hindered by his loyalty to the party or to anyone.

"I think it’s un-Filipino to turn your back to a person who gave a 43-year-old person a break and who did not interfere in doing his job which resulted in the cleanest and one of the most transparent administrations in the Department of National Defense," Teodoro said, referring to Arroyo recruiting him in 2007 to be her Defense chief.

"For me now to say I will turn my back and bite the person who gave me a break will be the height of ingratitude. But this is not to say I can be dictated upon," he said.

On peace and order, Teodoro said the country faces a question of logistics on funding better police presence. Roughly 150,000 policemen are deployed throughout the country for a population of 90 million. "There is no deterrence because there is little police visibility," Teodoro said.